What to do if hunger becomes unbearable: a simple way to trick the body in 5 minutes

Have you noticed that hunger comes in waves, even after you've just eaten?

Scientists explain: this is the hormones that control appetite rebelling.

Ghrelin, leptin, insulin and cortisol - their imbalance turns your stomach into a bottomless pit. But you can control them without strict diets and pills.

The secret is to understand how these hormones “think” and outsmart them.

Mistake #1: “Hunger always requires food”
70% of people confuse thirst with hunger. Dehydration is especially dangerous in the morning: after 8 hours of sleep, the body needs water, not coffee with sugar.

Mistake #2: “Sweets calm the nerves”
Stress hunger is the main enemy of hormonal balance. For example, a chocolate bar gives a short-term surge of serotonin, but after an hour the level of the happiness hormone drops below the initial level.

Mistake #3: “You can snack on anything.”
Snacks like rice cakes or fruit bars may seem harmless, but they fuel hunger. Foods with a high glycemic index (GI) cause a sharp rise in insulin, which drops blood sugar again an hour later. For example, an apple (GI 36) satiates for 40 minutes, while apple juice (GI 58) only satiates for 20.

Myths about hunger

Myth: “Hunger will go away if you endure it.”
Ignoring hunger leads to overeating later. When blood sugar levels drop too low, the brain demands fast carbohydrates at any cost. It’s better to eat a handful of nuts than to empty a packet of cookies later.

Myth: “Fatty foods keep you full for a long time.”
Not all fats are created equal. Trans fats (chips, fast food) disrupt the functioning of leptin receptors, while healthy fats (avocado, nuts) increase satiety. For example, a sandwich with avocado satiates for 3 hours, while with mayonnaise - only for 1.5.

Sample Daily Diet for Hormonal Balance

• 07:00 – A glass of water with lemon (starts metabolism).
• 08:00 — Breakfast: Omelette with mushrooms and avocado (protein + healthy fats).
• 11:00 – Snack: Greek yogurt + 5 strawberries.
• 2:00 PM – Lunch: Baked chicken with quinoa and broccoli (fiber stimulates GLP-1).
• 17:00 – Snack: 2 slices of dark chocolate (70% cocoa) + almonds.
• 19:00 – Dinner: Grilled salmon with arugula salad and olive oil.

Don't try to "drown out" hunger with willpower - learn to decipher its causes. Your body is not an enemy, it just speaks the language of hormones.